11 April 2011

UNDER THE WATERFALL: Patrick ButlerWhy does ResonateNews.com report on “faith” issues — that is, what people do because their God concepts motive them? The answer is now blowing in the winds of change, as Bob Dylan once sang.

We are convinced that the inclusion of faith perspectives in stories of significance is what readers want, as they desire to delve deeper into what breaking news means. Good journalism can address the “why” question as much as it can the “what happened” query.

The “why” of faith's marginalization in the pages of America's newspapers has been hotly debated. Possible explanations include the rise of atheism, the volatility of the topic and its potential to breed alienation. But the bottom line has always been the paying customers — the readers and their demands. The idea that “readers rule” has always been the No. 1 guideline in publishing. USA Today — which launched a Religion section last year — is reaching out to an audience concerned with faith and life-purpose issues, in recognition of a vast market. From the reporting of coping mechanisms in the face of disasters — such as those in Haiti and Japan — to the formation of great humanitarian causes, faith often carries people through life.

The reporting of such ideas could not be more critical. We all know people worldwide are struggling with heartbreaking issues, causes and circumstances beyond their control. What the world needs now is understanding of why people do what they do in the face of those circumstances.

I've learned through the years that readers often look for clues to spiritual and emotional survival in stories. I've received numerous notes, letters and phone calls concerning stories I've written that include those faith perspectives attesting to this.

I believe millions of viewers and readers, for instance, have put themselves in the place of those suffering in Port-au-Prince or Northern Japan. The opportunity to write about and put forth ideas that address the ultimate purpose of being has never been greater. Give readers what they want.

“Readers rule,” is the journalistic mantra. If they want to know the how or why others cope with life, we as journalists should address the topic, even if summarily. The artificial separation our culture has erected between faith, life and media is quickly being erased.

But what about “wacky” perspectives, or beliefs that seem strange or odd? Ironically, it is a foundational concept of the Fourth Estate itself — the press — that provides the answer.

“Print the content,” the publisher's saying basically goes, “and the truth will slowly rise to the surface.” The “faith” is that in the marketplace of ideas, what is true and right eventually rises.

Our job, then, as journalists who report on the “faith beat,” is to provide a fair covering of what people believe and why they believe it. People interviewed should be able to recognize themselves in subsequent stories, no matter what their background.

The fear people might “go the wrong way” by reporting on various perspectives precludes that readers know what they believe and why they believe it. Providing a window to different perspectives lets the reader know what they are truly facing in their community, state, nation and world. And that's what real journalism has always been about.

In that spirit of candor, ResonateNew.com assistant editor Raymond Billy is preparing a story about what atheists face as they live in a predominantly “faith-based” community. Why? Because now is the time to get over the hesitation of honest discussion of faith perspective — or lack thereof — and get an accurate picture, an honest temperature, of what our neighbors believe and why they believe it.

The result — and what ResonateNews strives for — is a sharper, deeper understanding of what our community and national problems are. Real solutions to real problems can only be addressed with real data. That's what we hope our readers find at ResonateNews.com.

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